Intravenous catheter placement unit



Nov. 30, 1965 v. P. czoRNY INTRAVENOUS CATHETER PLACEMENT UNIT Filed June 27, 1962 INVENTOR :446% @20E/VK TORNYS United States Patent O 3,220,411 INTRAVENOUS CATHETER PLACEMENT UNI'I Vasil P. Czorny, 2341 Logan Circle, Salt Lake City 5, Utah Filed June 27, 1962, Ser. No. 205,675 6 Claims. (Cl. 12S-214) This invention relates to improvements in an intravenous catheter placement unit, and more particularly to a unit facilitating the placement of a sterile catheter through a cannulated needle into the vein of a patient, although the invention may have other uses and purposes as will be apparent to one skilled in the art.

Catheter placement units as made heretofore were frequently objectionable to physicians, surgeons, and other operators by virtue of the manipulation necessary to properly position a thin flexible catheter through a cannulated needle into the vein of a patient. Some operators preferred to utilize a stylet in the lumen of the catheter to stiffen the catheter and render its placement more facile, but a stylet that remains within a catheter during the placement of the catheter Within the vein gives rise to the danger of piercing the vein wall While attempting to make the catheter follow the tortuous contour of the vein. Other operators objected to manual manipulation of a part of the catheter placement unit in order to position the catheter, even though that could be accomplished while infusion was taking place.

With the foregoing in mind, it is an important object of the instant invention to provide a catheter placement unit by means of which a catheter may be advanced through a cannulated needle into the vein of a patient with far greater ease, safety, and rapidity than was heretofore possible.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a catheter placement unit in which no manual engagement directly or indirectly with the catheter, except at the very termination of advancement, is necessary to properly position the catheter.

Also a feature of this invention is the provision of a catheter placement unit by means of which a catheter may be advanced through a cannulated needle into the vein of a patient by the simple expedient of pulling a string, thread, cord, filament, or the like.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a catheter placement unit embodying a lanyard which is accessible from without the unit and which extends inside the unit and well into the lumen of the catheter, the arrangement being such that the catheter is advcaned as he lanyard is drawn out of the catheter enclosure, and while the catheter advances the part of the lanyard within the catheter lumen functions substantially as a stylet to aid the advancement of the catheter.

It is still a further feature of this invention to provide a catheter placement unit in which the catheter is advanced by the Withdrawal of a lanyard that extends well into the lumen of the catheter and functions as a stylet during most of the advancement of the catheter, but the lanyard terminates within the catheter lumen short of the end of the catheter so there is no danger of piercing a vein wall by that portion of the lanyard acting as a stylet.

Still another desideratum of the instant invention is the provision of a catheter placement unit which, except for the essential end caps to maintain sterility until use, becomes a part of the infusion system and by means of which a catheter may `be advanced into the veins of a patient by the simple withdrawal of a lanyard from the unit.

While some of the more salient features, characteristics and advantages of the instant invention have been above pointed out, others will become apparent from the ice following disclosures, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE l is a fragmentary central vertical sectional view of a catheter placement unit embodying principles of the instant invention, showing one part in elevation;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary, partially diagrammatic, vertical sectional view of the unit of FIGURE 1 showing the catheter advanced; and

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary central vertical sectional view illustrating how the lanyard aperture is sealed after advancement of the catheter.

As shown on the drawings:

All parts of the instant unit, with the exception of the customary cannulated needle, may satisfactorily be. made of a plastic material, and preferably a transparent plastic material. Polyvinyl, polyethylene, and similar plastics are suitable for the purpose.

In the illustrated embodiment of the instant invention there is a catheter enclosure 1 in the form of a tube having a thickened portion 2 at one end thereof over which a cap 3 is disposed to maintain the contents of the tube 1 sterile until put to use. After removal of the cap 3, the end portioin 2 may receive therein the end of an infusion tube 4 which is connected to an infusion liquid container 5 as diagrammatically illustrated in FIGURE 2. The other end of the tube or enclosure 1 is seated within the hub 6 of a cannulated needle '7, and before usage, it will be understood that the cannulated needle is covered with the usual removable needle cap, not illustrated.

Inside the tubular enclosure 1 is a catheter 8 in the form of a flexible plastic tube. This catheter has an enlarged or funnel-shaped outer end 9 which, when the catheter is positioned, seats against the inside of the needle hub as seen in FIGURE 2. The catheter extends into the cannulated needle as seen in FIGURE l when the unit is originally manufactured. A lanyard 10 extends within the catheter, turns over the enlarged end 9 of the catheter and follows the tubular enclosure 1 forwardly to a point near the needle hub, where the lanyard passes outwardly of the enclosure 1 through an opening 11 in the wall thereof. The other end of the lanyard is well down within the catheter, terminating substantially at the point indicated by numeral 12, and it will be noted that the lanyard terminates short of the end of the catheter so that the lanyard will never reach the end of the catheter or extend therebeyond and so endanger the puncturing of a vein wall. Any suitable means may be employed to seal the aperture 11 through which the lanyard extends so as to maintain sterility of the catheter. A disruptible paper, or a non-hardening wax or cementitious material may be utilized for this purpose. A short sleeve 13Vis disposed around the tubular enclosure 1 and is slidable thereon so that after the withdrawal of the lanyard, this tube may be slid forwardly against the needle hub, as seen in FIGURE 3, to close the aperture 11 through which the lanyard was withdrawn.

The lanyard may be a string, cord, thread, wire, or the equivalent, but it is preferably a plastic lament. While the lanyard is flexible so that it can be properly manipulated, nevertheless that portion of the lanyard within the catheter will function as a stylet to stiifen the catheter somewhat and aid its advancement through the cannulated needle.

In use, the instant invention is extremely simple, rapid, and effective. It is a simple expedient to remove the needle cap, the catheter enclosure cap y3, and connect the unit to the infusion system as seen in FIGURE 2. The tubular enclosure 1, the catheter, and the needle are then flushed out with infusion liquid to remove the air and any sterilization residue that may remain in the unit after sterilization. The infusion liquid may then be temporarily turned off, but the unit will remain lled with infusion liquid, and then the venipuncture is made. Infusion is immediately started again, and it is an easy elfort to hold the needle hub and Withdraw the lanyard thereby steadily advancing the catheter through the needle during infusion, the infusion liquid expanding the vein ahead of the entering catheter and there is little, if any, danger of piercing the vein Wall. A steady easy pull on the lanyard is all that is necessary to properly position the catheter in the vein in a small fraction of time. When the catheter reaches the aperture 11 through which the lanyard is completely removed and discarded, the tube 1 may be pressed With the thumbnail to advance the enlarged end of the catheter past the aperture 11, and the pressure of the infusion liquid will aid in seating the catheter inside the needle hub. The sleeve 13 is then pushed down against the needle hub to close the aperture 11 and maintain sterility of the catheter. The unit with the exception of the needle cap, the tube cap 3, and the lanyard then becomes an integral part of the infusion system. Obviously, after placing the catheter the needle may be withdrawn and the catheter attached to the patients body by adhesive tape or in any other suitable manner so that the patient need not be immobilized.

It willV be understood that the drawings are considerably. enlarged for purposes of clarity, and the unit is much lessin diameter than illustrated.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that I have provided avery simple catheter. placement unit in which manipulation by the operator is reduced to a minimum, and the catheter is easily and extremely quickly positioned during infusion, without danger of air embolism, loss of blood, spread of disease from contaminated blood, piercing of the vein-wall, and there is no mess in the entire operation.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be effected Without departing from the scope of the novel concepts'of the present invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a catheter placement unit,

a tubular. catheter enclosure,

a temporary cap on the outer end of said enclosure,

a cannulated needle connected to the inner end of said enclosure,

said. enclosure having an aperture therein adjacent said needle,

a catheter in said enclosure,

a lanyard extending from a point near the leading end of the catheter through the catheter and inside the enclosure with a portion of the lanyard projecting through said aperture, and

a sleeve around said enclosure slidable over said aperture after removal of the lanyard.

2. In a catheter placement unit,

a catheter enclosure means,

a cannulated needleconnected to one end of said means,

the other end of said means being arranged for connection to an infusion system,

a catheter in said means,

said means having an aperture therein adjacent said needle, and

unitary exible means associated With said catheter and extending through said aperture to both advance the catheter and -function as a stylet at the same time while the other end of said enclosure means is connected to an infusion system.

3. In a catheter placement unit,

catheter enclosure means,

a cannulated needle connected to one end of said means,

the other end of said means being arranged for connection to an infusion system,

a catheter in said means with one end in said needle,

a flexible lanyard projecting into the catheter on one end to act on lthe end of the catheter farthest from said needle and projecting through said enclosure means adjacent said needle for withdrawal therethrough While advancing the catheter through said needle into the body of a patient.

4. In a catheter placement unit,

open-ended tubular catheter enclosure means,

vein puncturing means connected to one end of said enclosure means through which a catheter may be advanced,

said enclosure means having a lateral opening adjacent the connection with said vein puncturing means,

a catheter in said enclosure means with one end thereof in said vein puncturing means, and

a llexible lanyard projecting into the catheter on one end to act on the end of the catheter farthest from said veing puncturing means,

said lanyard projecting through said lateral opening, the lanyard advancing the catheter through said vein puncturing means as it is withdrawn through said lateral opening.

5. In a catheter placement unit,

open-ended tubular catheter enclosure means,

vein puncturing means connected to one end of said enclosure means through Which a catheter may be advanced,

said enclosure means having a lateral opening adjacent the connection with said vein puncturing means,

a catheter in said enclosure means with one end thereof in said vein puncturing means, and

a flexible lanyard, projecting into the catheter on one end to act on the end of the catheter farthest from said vein puncturing means,

said lanyard projecting through said lateral opening to function as a stylet while advancing the catheter through said vein puncturing means as it is Withdrawn through said lateral opening.

6. In a catheter placement unit,

open-ended tubular catheter enclosure means,

vein puncturing means connected to one end of said enclosure means through which a catheter may be advanced,

said enclosure means having a lateral opening adjacent the connection with said vein puncturing means,

a catheter in said enclosure means With one end thereof in said vein puncturing means, and

a combination stylet and lanyard' in said enclosure means With one end extending through said lateral opening and with the other end projecting into the catheter, the stylet and lanyard acting on the end of the catheter farthest from said vein puncturing means to advance the catheter therethrough as the stylet and lanyard is Withdrawn through said lateral opening.

References Cited by the Examiner'` UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,355,917 8/1944 Knight l28-263 3,000,380 9/1961 Doherty 12S- 214 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,064,445 12/ 1953 France.

OTHER REFERENCES Cooper: Neurological Alleviation of Parkinsonism, pp. 70-71 (C. C. Thomas Publisher, Springfield, Ill., 1956).

RICHARD A. GAUDET, Primary Examiner. JORDAN FRANKLIN, Examiner. 

1. IN A CATHETER PLACEMENT UNIT, A TUBULAR CATHETER ENCLOSURE, A TEMPORARY CAP ON THE OUTER END OF SAID ENCLOSURE, A CANNULATED NEEDLE CONNECTED TO THE INNER END OF SAID ENCLOSURE, SAID ENCLOSURE HAVING AN APERTURE THEREIN ADJACENT SAID NEEDLE, A CATHETER IN SAID ENCLOSURE, A LANYARD EXTENDING FROM A POINT NEAR THE LEADING END OF THE CATHETER THROUGH THE CATHETER AND INSIDE THE ENCLOSURE WITH A PORTION OF THE LANYARD PROJECTING THROUGH SAID APERTURE, AND A SLEEVE AROUND SAID ENCLOSURE SLIDABLE OVER SAID APERTURE AFTER REMOVAL OF THE LANYARD. 